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Childhood trauma exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan war era veterans: implications for posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and adult functional social support.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Van Voorhees, EE; Dedert, EA; Calhoun, PS; Brancu, M; Runnals, J; Beckham, JC; VA Mid-Atlantic MIRECC Workgroup,
Published in: Child Abuse Negl
May 2012

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationship among childhood trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and adult social support in a large sample of veterans who served in the military after 09/11/2001, with a specific focus on the potential role of the PTSD avoidance and numbing cluster as intervening in the association between childhood abuse and adult functional social support. METHOD: Participants were 1,301 veterans and active duty soldiers who have served in the military since 09/11/2001; a subsample of these participants (n=482) completed an inventory of current functional social support. Analyses included linear regression and nonparametric bootstrapping procedures. RESULTS: After controlling for combat exposure, exposure to childhood trauma was associated with PTSD symptoms in adulthood. Further, PTSD symptoms, and particularly PTSD avoidance/numbing cluster symptoms, intervened in the relationship between childhood trauma and adult functional social support. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the association of childhood trauma (both abuse related and other, non-abuse related trauma) with PTSD symptoms in military personnel and veterans, even after accounting for combat exposure. Additionally, the avoidance and numbing symptom cluster of childhood trauma-based PTSD may be particularly salient in compromising one's subsequent ability to garner functional social support in adulthood.

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Published In

Child Abuse Negl

DOI

EISSN

1873-7757

Publication Date

May 2012

Volume

36

Issue

5

Start / End Page

423 / 432

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Veterans
  • Social Support
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Iraq War, 2003-2011
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • Combat Disorders
  • Child, Preschool
 

Citation

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Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Van Voorhees, E. E., Dedert, E. A., Calhoun, P. S., Brancu, M., Runnals, J., Beckham, J. C., & VA Mid-Atlantic MIRECC Workgroup, . (2012). Childhood trauma exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan war era veterans: implications for posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and adult functional social support. Child Abuse Negl, 36(5), 423–432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2012.03.004
Van Voorhees, Elizabeth E., Eric A. Dedert, Patrick S. Calhoun, Mira Brancu, Jennifer Runnals, Jean C. Beckham, and Jean C. VA Mid-Atlantic MIRECC Workgroup. “Childhood trauma exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan war era veterans: implications for posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and adult functional social support.Child Abuse Negl 36, no. 5 (May 2012): 423–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2012.03.004.
Van Voorhees EE, Dedert EA, Calhoun PS, Brancu M, Runnals J, Beckham JC, et al. Childhood trauma exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan war era veterans: implications for posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and adult functional social support. Child Abuse Negl. 2012 May;36(5):423–32.
Van Voorhees, Elizabeth E., et al. “Childhood trauma exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan war era veterans: implications for posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and adult functional social support.Child Abuse Negl, vol. 36, no. 5, May 2012, pp. 423–32. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2012.03.004.
Van Voorhees EE, Dedert EA, Calhoun PS, Brancu M, Runnals J, Beckham JC, VA Mid-Atlantic MIRECC Workgroup. Childhood trauma exposure in Iraq and Afghanistan war era veterans: implications for posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and adult functional social support. Child Abuse Negl. 2012 May;36(5):423–432.
Journal cover image

Published In

Child Abuse Negl

DOI

EISSN

1873-7757

Publication Date

May 2012

Volume

36

Issue

5

Start / End Page

423 / 432

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Veterans
  • Social Support
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Iraq War, 2003-2011
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • Combat Disorders
  • Child, Preschool